Embarrassing albums: What are your most shameful musical secrets?

Last week I posted the news that Creed is reuniting for a new album and tour, and I was expecting an avalanche of “Creed sucks!” and “This is the end of times!” comments. But instead, many of you were actually excited by the big news. Even more shocking, you admitted it. In public!

I have to say, I found this kind of inspiring. I decided to clean out the skeletons in my own musical closet. After all, who am I to judge Creed fans when I own every Sugar Ray album? Can I really dis Scott Stapp when I’ve willingly purchased a Jordan Knight CD? I even got my fellow EW staffers to come clean with their secret stashes. See below:

Michael Slezak: My iPod is named “Home for Tragic Divas”: Kina, Lina, Cherokee, Nicole Renee, Joi, and pretty much every no-hit-wonder no-last-name female R&B artist of the last decade…you can find ‘em all within!

Leah Greenblatt: Oh god. I love all the horrible grungey-come-lately ‘90s anthems, with their horrible horrible fridge-magnet lyrics. Candlebox, “Far Behind”: “Mayayayaybay, I didn’t mean to treat you oh so baddd…” Oh, but you did it anyway, didn’t you? Or Bush’s “Glycerine.” Is it about soap? Don’t care! And basically the entire Stone Temple Pilots greatest-hits catalog: “I AM smellin’ like a rose that somebody gave me on my BIRTH-day DEATH-bed” = POETRY. I am fired now?

Mike Bruno: Hell, that ain’t even embarrassing – how about TWO Slaughter records and TWO Skid Row records. I was a total Slave to their Grind.

Jeremy Medina: I want to play, too! One word, three syllables, folks: Nickelback. And I also own multiple albums from the following: Linkin Park, Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, Sum 41, Papa Roach, 3 Doors Down, Chevelle, Staind, Limp Bizkit, Unwritten Law, Fuel, Puddle of Mudd, Simple Plan and the band that started it all, CREED. Also please notice the key words in that sentence: Multiple. Albums.

Whitney Pastorek: Please. My entire record collection is shame. Barenaked Ladies? We got that. Phil Collins? Sure. Spice Girls? I own the MOVIE. I love mainstream country, for crying out loud. I have Peter Cetera’s autograph. I once drove to San Diego to see Huey Lewis. Once sat in the parking lot at Jones Beach to listen to a Warrant/Quiet Riot/Poison show cause I was too broke to buy a ticket. And I can legitimately call Amy Grant a formative influence. Do I apologize? I do NOT!

Sean Howe: And then there’s the weird postmodern double-bind: I can wear my Rush or Journey t-shirt tomorrow, but everyone will think I’m going for irony points. Do you think I’m joking when I heap praise on Hall & Oates? (Hint: No.)

Clark Collis: I suspect I’m the only Music Mix staffer, or person on the continent of America, who thinks “Can U Dig It?” by much derided UK rap-rockers Pop Will Eat Itself to be one of the greatest singles of all-time. “Alan Moore/Knows the score”? They were right in 1989, and they’re right now. Plus, singer Clint Mansell now does the music for Darren Aronofsky’s movies. So, you know, up yours.

Phew, we feel better already! What about you, Music Mixers? Did you shell out money to see Hoobastank in concert, or rush out to get a copy of Sisqo’s Unleash the Dragon? Did you wear a Kottonmouth Kings t-shirt or vote for Willa Ford on TRL? It’s okay to share. This is a safe place.